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China disputes energy agency's report on booming fuel use

by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) Nov 9, 2007
China disputed Friday a report from the International Energy Agency that said it will be a main factor behind global warming unless it changes its fuel-intensive economic growth model.

"This IEA report... makes some assumptions and scenarios that are not quite satisfactory," Wang Siqiang, vice head of China's National Energy Leading Group, said as the Chinese-language version of the report was unveiled.

"I hope in the future the IEA can continue to do solid work, but I hope their assumptions and scenarios will better reflect reality," he told journalists.

The "World Energy Outlook 2007," issued Wednesday by the Paris-based agency, said China's growth will largely depend on burning more fossil fuels at a time the world is threatened by rising temperatures.

It urged Beijing to adopt a new mode of development that will improve efficiency, reduce greenhouse gases and adopt alternative energy sources.

The report said under current trends China will become the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases that cause climate change this year, while its demand for energy will surpass the United States -- the world's largest consumer -- soon after 2010.

It also predicted the booming nation's demand for fuel will double by 2030, as its greenhouse gas emissions increase by 57 percent.

Wang refused to detail his specific objections to the report, only saying that the IEA assumptions were "subjective" and full of uncertainties.

The IEA report, based on official Chinese data, predicts China's energy demand will grow by 3.2 percent per year between 2005 and 2030.

China's oil demand would quadruple from 2005 to 2030, while new vehicle sales in the nation would exceed those of the United States by 2015.

IEA executive director Nobuo Tanaka said the report was geared to promote energy conservation and efficiency, tasks that the Chinese government already considers top priorities.

Tough decisions needed to be made immediately as demand for oil is likely to outstrip supply by 2030 and the devastation of global warming is becoming increasingly apparent, Tanaka said.

"We don't have much time, actions and decisions should be taken now and implementation has to begin now... the primary scarcity facing the planet is not the natural resources, nor money, but time," Tanaka said.

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Energy From Hot Rocks
Davis CA (SPX) Nov 09, 2007
Two UC Davis geologists are taking part in the Iceland Deep Drilling Project, an international effort to learn more about the potential of geothermal energy, or extracting heat from rocks. Professors Peter Schiffman and Robert Zierenberg are working with Wilfred Elders, professor emeritus at UC Riverside, Dennis Bird at Stanford University and Mark Reed at the University of Oregon to study the chemistry that occurs at high pressures and temperatures two miles below Iceland.







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